Thank you notes

I am painfully aware that it has been 10 days since my last post. Thank you to my faithful followers (mom and dad and grandpa Ford) who haven't given up on me yet.

Just like I think making friends is a lot like dating, I think blogging is a lot like writing thank you notes. You know....something that you think is a great idea, really want to do, and have the best intentions towards. But, sometimes it's just so hard to actually sit down and do.

First, there's the pressure to be fresh and sincere. Of course you could write a thank you note that says, "Thank you so much for the beautiful scarf. It is beautiful and I will think of you when I wear it." While that may be true, doesn't that sound like you Googled "writing a thank you note" and just copied their example. It's so...predictable. Of course, you don't want to go to the other extreme where people just roll their eyes at your obvious lack of sincerity and toss the note to the side.

And, then, let's not forget that very real phenomenon in which you have every intention of writing the thank you note the very next day. But that day comes and goes and before you know it, a whole week has past. "Oh no," you fret. "I'm so behind getting this out. What must they think of me?!" And so, you put it off not wanting to deal with the question of whether or not to directly acknowledge your abhorrent lack of timeliness. But then, it's been a month and well, you just figure it's better to not send a note rather than send one that is so tardy and will inevitably bring lots of attention to your cave-man like manners. (I, for one, have never been guilty of such an indiscretion).

Let's not even mention what happens after a big party when you have all those thank you notes to write. And the longer you delay it, the more overwhelming the task becomes. Where do you even begin? Pretty soon, you've just said, "the heck with it" and you don't write a single one.

But, alas, fair readers. I have not succumbed to the temptation to quietly sink into the deep, black hole of never-to-be-written thank you notes. I am back in the blogosphere and eager to regale you with my tales of life in the foreign land. I know you were very worried.